Reflection-type light control element, reflection-type light control member, and multilayer glass

Abstract

A reflection-type light control element according to the present invention is provided with a light control layer configured to exhibit a reversible change between a transparent state and a reflection state in a reversible reaction with a hydrogen and a catalyst layer configured to accelerate the reversible reaction of the light control layer, wherein the reflection-type light control element is such that the light control layer includes an alloy that contains at least one kind of element selected from a group composed of group 2 elements and at least two kinds of elements selected from a group composed of group 3 elements and rare earth elements, or a hydride of the alloy.

The invention claimed is: 
     
       1. A reflection-type light control element, wherein the reflection-type light control element comprises a light control layer configured to exhibit a reversible change between a transparent state and a reflection state in a reversible reaction with a hydrogen and a catalyst layer configured to accelerate the reversible reaction of the light control layer, and wherein the reflection-type light control element is such that the light control layer includes an alloy that contains at least one kind of element selected from the group consisting of group 2 elements and at least two kinds of elements selected from the group consisting of group 3 elements and rare earth elements or a hydride of the alloy,
 wherein the reflection-type light control element is such that the alloy is a magnesium-yttrium-scandium alloy represented by Mg 1-x-y Y x Sc y  (0.3<x<0.7, 0<y<0.6, and x+y<1). 
 
     
     
       2. The reflection-type light control element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the reflection-type light control element is such that the catalyst layer includes a palladium, a platinum, a palladium alloy, or a platinum alloy. 
     
     
       3. The reflection-type light control element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the reflection-type light control element further comprises a protection layer that has a hydrogen permeability and a water repellency at an opposite side of the light control layer in the catalyst layer. 
     
     
       4. The reflection-type light control element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the reflection-type light control element is such that a thickness of the light control layer is equal to or greater than 10 nm and equal to or less than 200 nm. 
     
     
       5. The reflection-type light control element as claimed in  claim 1 , wherein the reflection-type light control element is such that a thickness of the catalyst layer is equal to or greater than 1 nm and equal to or less than 20 nm. 
     
     
       6. A reflection-type light control member that comprises the reflection-type light control element as clamed in  claim 1 , wherein the reflection-type light control member further comprises a transparent member at an opposite side of the catalyst layer in the light control layer. 
     
     
       7. The reflection-type light control member as claimed in  claim 6 , wherein the reflection-type light control member is such that a material of the transparent member includes a glass or a plastic. 
     
     
       8. A multilayer glass, wherein the multilayer glass comprises a plurality of glass plates, and the reflection-type light control element as claimed in  claim 1  on a surface of at least one glass plate that is opposed to another glass plate. 
     
     
       9. The multilayer glass as claimed in  claim 8 , wherein the multilayer glass further comprises an atmosphere controller configured to supply a hydrogen and an oxygen or an air to a gap between the at least one glass plate with the reflection-type light control element and the another glass plate or exhaust a hydrogen and an oxygen or an air from the gap.